UPC Horizon - which HD channels have surround sound?

Luck100

Does anybody know which channels on UPC horizon have real 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound (not upconverted stereo like Dolby prologic)?

I just got Horizon, hooked up my (rather old) surround receiver and was surprised to find that I was only seeing Dolby digital 5.1 on a couple of channels (like sky sports HD!). Other HD channels like RTE 1&2, FOX HD, etc were all coming in as PCM. I'm wondering if they use a different encoding that my receiver doesn't handle (DTS maybe?). I have the receiver connected directly to the horizon box via optical audio connector (my receiver is too old to handle hdmi so video goes straight from horizon box to TV via hdmi).

twinklerunner

Luck100 wrote: »

Does anybody know which channels on UPC horizon have real 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound (not upconverted stereo like Dolby prologic)?

I just got Horizon, hooked up my (rather old) surround receiver and was surprised to find that I was only seeing Dolby digital 5.1 on a couple of channels (like sky sports HD!). Other HD channels like RTE 1&2, FOX HD, etc were all coming in as PCM. I'm wondering if they use a different encoding that my receiver doesn't handle (DTS maybe?). I have the receiver connected directly to the horizon box via optical audio connector (my receiver is too old to handle hdmi so video goes straight from horizon box to TV via hdmi).

Also, why are the following channels not available in HD on UPC Horizon - BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, BBC NEWS and ITV2, 3 & 4 ?

pippip

twinklerunner wrote: »

Also, why are the following channels not available in HD on UPC Horizon - BBC THREE, BBC FOUR, BBC NEWS and ITV2, 3 & 4 ?

Probably cause they wont pay for them.

Cushie Butterfield

UPC announced that Channel 4 HD was 'coming soon' in October 2012 & still no sign of it.

http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2056848778/1

coylemj

Cushie Butterfield wrote: »

UPC announced that Channel 4 HD was 'coming soon' in October 2012 & still no sign of it.

http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2056848778/1

If the Horizon s/w update to give us 'series delete' was anything to go by, you can't believe any pre-announcements from UPC.

If and when it does come, you'll hear about/see it first in an article in the Indo involving a PR blitz with a photo of a pretty girl shivering in a bikini on Grafton St., the UPC customers will then get an e-mail announcement about it six months later.

Luck100

Can anybody respond to my actual question? Which HD channels do you see your Dolby Digital logo light up on your receiver? I'm finding it hard to believe it's only a couple of Sky Sports HD channels that have DD surround.

Dravokivich

It'll depend on what's on ot surely? Not the station itself.

Luck100

Dravokivich wrote: »

It'll depend on what's on ot surely? Not the station itself.

Possibly. I'm looking at stuff during premium hours in the evening. New shows like Homeland, Walking Dead, etc which I know have Dolby Digital soundtracks in the US.

Wabbit Ears

UPC will pass through whatever is broadcast with regards to sound so its down to the show and the originating broadcast channel. So if RTE or whoever play the walking dead in stereo, despite it being in dolby elsewhere, that's what you get.

Luck100

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

UPC will pass through whatever is broadcast with regards to sound so its down to the show and the originating broadcast channel. So if RTE or whoever play the walking dead in stereo, despite it being in dolby elsewhere, that's what you get.

Yes, I understood that part. I'm asking: on which channels have you actually seen (or heard) Dolby Digital in action? I tried looking for specs on what they broadcast but I can't find anything. And I'm not sure my receiver is working properly, so I was hoping to hear from others with UPC & surround sound setups.

Nelbert

Luck100 wrote: »

Yes, I understood that part. I'm asking: on which channels have you actually seen (or heard) Dolby Digital in action? I tried looking for specs on what they broadcast but I can't find anything. And I'm not sure my receiver is working properly, so I was hoping to hear from others with UPC & surround sound setups.

BT broadcast in 5.1 at times. The Dolby light up happens on pretty much any HD channel broadcast although it's typically 2.0 not 5.1.
I don't have the movie channels but I'd imagine they are 5.1 whenever available (depending on how new / old the movie is).

BBC etc. mainly broadcast in stereo (although they are dolby tracks and as such the receiver has the little symbol).

I've sky by the way but I can't see UPC being bothered to reencode a new audio track on a heap of channels!

mackersdublin

BBC One HD has definitely broadcast in Dolby 5.1

I don't have a receiver to test any HD channels on UPC

techdiver

Luck100 wrote: »

Yes, I understood that part. I'm asking: on which channels have you actually seen (or heard) Dolby Digital in action? I tried looking for specs on what they broadcast but I can't find anything. And I'm not sure my receiver is working properly, so I was hoping to hear from others with UPC & surround sound setups.

The best chance of seeing 5.1 is on the documentary channels.

Discovery, National Geographic etc.

RTE never has 5.1.

BBC one some broadcasts do.

Sky Sports only on certain content.

For example at the moment (29/10/2014 @ 15:15) on NAT GEO Wild HD, the documentary "Wild Congo" is broadcasting 5.1.

Remember, when ad breaks happen it will revert to PCM.